Hoeppner to visit Portage during tour

Portage la Prairie will be one of the stops for local Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner who is on a tour of the riding to hear feedback from stakeholders.

Hoeppner will be visiting Portage on Tuesday afternoon to meet privately with City of Portage and Rural Municipality of Portage council officials at the RM of Portage office to discuss any concerns they might have.

“I meet with mayors and reeves a lot,” Hoeppner said. “I see them at so many events and we get a lot of chances to talk, but I wanted to do an actual sit-down meeting with the municipalities as well as the cities to let them know again what our government is doing, (and) what kind of support we have provided.”

She said she hopes to hear about the municipalities’ concerns, so that she can work with them to find some possible solutions to any issues brought forward.

Her meetings are not a scheduled part of a pre-budget planning, but rather an opportunity to touch base with her constituents.

“It’s really just part of my job, and we are letting them know what we have available to them,” Hoeppner said. “Since I’ve been elected, it’s very productive to sit down to take an hour to an hour and a half with each one of the councillors, and remind them of what we are really focused on.”

During her tour this Tuesday and Wednesday, Hoeppner will also visit Carman, Elm Creek, Winkler, Morden and Altona, among her various community stops.

City of Portage’s Coun. Irvine Ferris will be one of the representatives who will be meeting with Hoeppner during her stop in Portage.

“It’s certainly important for the Member of Parliament to stay in touch,” he said. “We appreciate the opportunity to sit down and meet face-to-face with her, and discuss municipal news from our city’s point of view.”

Some of the issues the City will discuss with Hoeppner include the need for more funding for infrastructure work.

“We are looking for funding that is predictable,” said Ferris. “We want funding so that we can do more arranged planning. All the funding has to be matched with municipal money. We need time to do that in a responsible way.”

One of the particular projects on the list includes the need for funding for upgrades for a nutrient-removal project to meet the Province’s new standards for the City of Portage’s wastewater treatment plant.

“That is certainly going to be on the agenda,” said Ferris. “It’s going to be a significant undertaking.”